In recent years, the subject of green tea has garnered a great deal of attention. Green tea has been touted for its anti-oxidants and their unique ability to prevent illness and fight aging. Green tea has also been purported to help with weight loss, and it has been assumed that tea’s anti-oxidants were also responsible for this benefit. However, some findings are suggesting that it’s not just the anti-oxidants alone that make green tea an effective weight loss supplement.
It appears that it’s the combination of green tea with caffeine that works magic for weight loss. This two-fold approach of green tea’s anti-oxidants (polyphenols) combined with caffeine appear to have an effect that neither substance can have on its own. Green tea’s caffeine is unique, in that it doesn’t appear to raise the heart rate or blood pressure the way that other forms of caffeine do. So green tea is a good choice for dieters who are caffeine sensitive. And, we know that caffeine speeds up the metabolism, helping us to burn more calories each day.
So, the caffeine in green tea, while not appearing to significantly raise the heart rate or blood pressure, does seem to raise the metabolic rate.
Green tea also seems to be helpful for weight loss because of its potent anti-oxidants. Tea’s polyphenols have been shown to have many health benefits because they combat free radicals in the body that can cause cell damage. These polyphenols also seem to work with other chemicals in the body to intensify fat oxidation and thermogenesis. This creates fat burning heat in the body.
Green tea’s polyphenols also help depress leptin production in the body. Leptin is a protein hormone that regulates our appetite and our fat storage. Lower levels of leptin mean a smaller appetite, but overweight people often produce too much leptin, which may be why they eat too much. If polyphenols can decrease your leptin levels, then you’ll eat less without dieting. Green tea may also help regulate the hormone that tells us we’re full. Obese people often over produce leptin and under produce this hormone, which leads to an increase in weight.
Finally, it seems that green tea can help regulate insulin in the body, too. Green tea helps the carbohydrates that we eat be released more slowly, which keeps our insulin levels steady thus reducing our chances of storing fat. Steady insulin levels mean more efficient use of carbohydrates, which makes taking weight off and keeping it off easier. When our carbohydrates are not used properly, our insulin level drops rapidly, and we store our food as fat. There is also ongoing research involving how green tea might be helpful for patients with diabetes.
Several studies have reached similar conclusions regarding green tea and weight loss. One of the most famous studies was conducted by Dulloo and medical associates. This study noted that green tea’s polyphenols combined with caffeine produced an increase in energy expenditure (or number of calories burned) in a 24 hour period in their subjects. Further, this study concluded that neither caffeine nor green tea’s polyphenols produced the same effect when prescribed independently.
In addition, the studies have shown that when the green tea regimen ceased, the benefits ceased, as well. In some cases, higher doses of green tea were needed over time to continue the weight loss effect. This has led researchers to conclude that green tea should become a lifelong habit. This finding correlates with other studies on green tea’s ability to prevent diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
In parts of the world where green tea consumption is highest, with people drinking 8-10 cups per day nearly all of their life, the incidences of cancer and heart disease are the lowest in the world.
Of course, more research is needed about the benefits of green tea in many areas of medicine. Much of the research that has been performed has been on laboratory rats, whose results may be somewhat different than the results on humans. Human trials on long term use of green tea would take years to conduct and be difficult to complete, which is why we rely on short term studies and laboratory experiments.
However, even without long term conclusive results proving that green tea can help you lose weight, you have nothing to fear from adding a daily dose of green tea to your regimen. Green tea is healthy and has no side effects. Even those who are sensitive to caffeine can usually tolerate green tea without problems. Even if you don’t lose any weight, drinking green tea is a healthy alternative to sodas.
And, in addition to being an overall healthy beverage, you may gain other benefits from drinking green tea. You may be reducing your risk of cancer and heart disease. You may see your blood pressure and cholesterol lowered and you may find it easier to lose weight. So, it seems that for all of us, green tea is a healthy and refreshing addition to the diet.
Jon M. Stout is Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. For more information about tea, green tea and black tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com/
Monday, March 12, 2007
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
How Does Green Tea Help Weight Loss?
For many people, finding a weight loss supplement that’s safe and effective would be nothing short of a miracle. We all know that there are no magic bullets when it comes to weight loss; we have to consume fewer calories in a day than our body uses in order to lose weight. However, finding ways to burn fat faster would speed up the process and make it easier.
One product that seems to have much promise in helping people to lose weight is green tea. In some studies, green tea has been shown to help regulate insulin and lower cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, it is believed that green tea speeds up the metabolism, so that we burn fat faster, and can even turn off the receptors that make us want to eat.
In addition, green tea, unlike many other weight loss aids is very healthy overall. Green tea is a potent source of anti-oxidants, which help us stay healthy and disease free by fighting free radicals. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are a by-product of our digestive processes. Left unchecked, they damage our cells and DNA, eventually leading to disease.
However, green tea and other foods with anti-oxidants keep free radicals at bay, preventing aging and disease. For example, diets rich in green tea and other anti-oxidants have been linked to a reduction in the risk of heart disease and cancer. So, green tea is a weight loss supplement that you can feel good about, because it can improve your overall health while it helps you shed the pounds.
Most of us are aware of the problems that many other weight loss supplements can cause. Ephedra, for example, has proven to be an effective way to speed up the metabolism, but can have very dangerous side effects. In fact, it has even been linked to heart attacks and death in some users.
But, just how does green tea work? There are several components in green tea that seem to work together to provide the health and weight loss benefits that green tea’s so famous for. Researchers have pinpointed three components in green tea that seem to have an effect on weight loss.
Caffeine
Green tea has lower caffeine content than coffee or black tea, but it does contain caffeine. Interestingly enough, however, green tea’s caffeine does not seem to have the negative side effects found in other products containing caffeine. Green tea doesn’t cause jitters or speed up the heart rate the way that other caffeinated beverages can. However, the caffeine in green tea does appear to speed up the metabolism.
Many of us take our caffeine intake for granted, but caffeine has been shown to aid in weight loss. Many studies have shown that people on a low calorie diet who consume caffeine daily lose more weight overall than those who are on a low calorie diet alone.
Catechins
Catechins are the anti-oxidants in green tea. Catechins are polyphenolic antioxidant plant metabolites, specifically flavonoids called flavan-3-ols. They are found in many plants, including the cocoa plant and the coffee plant, but the best source of catechins is the Camellia sinensis (tea) plant.
The reason that green tea is considered a better source of catechins than black tea is because of the difference in processing. Black tea is fermented, which changes the catechins. Green tea, however, is unfermented, leaving the catechins in their natural state.
Because tea catechins are some of the most powerful anti-oxidants around, they are some of the most effective at preventing disease. This is why diets rich in tea are thought to prevent many diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
In terms of weight loss, catechins are believed to suppress lipid (fat) absorption from the diet. This is important because it helps reduce cholesterol, but it is also thought to prevent the accumulation of body fat.
Theanine
Theanine is the main amino acid in green tea. Theanine may be important to weight loss because of its ability to induce relaxation and the release of dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical produced by the brain that helps in providing a feeling of well being in the body.
Theanine also seems to minimize the effects of caffeine, which is why the caffeine in green tea doesn’t seem to cause jitters and an increased heart rate the way that caffeine in other beverages can. So, while theanine may not actively cause weight loss, it can be effective in creating a feeling of calm in those who ingest it. This power may help those who overeat as a result of stress to curb this tendency.
It is certain that more studies are needed on how green tea helps with weight loss. One interesting study on the subject, by the Shizuoka University in Japan, evaluated all three of these green tea components individually, as well as in combination, to try and determine just what components are most important.
This study concluded that the most important component of green tea for weight loss is caffeine. Caffeine is responsible for speeding up the metabolism and creating thermogenesis, which burns fat. However, the study also showed that catechins do seem to have an anti-obesity effect on their own, helping the body to eliminate dietary fat rather than absorbing it.
In short, green tea seems to be the near perfect combination for helping lose weight and improve health at the same time. Diet and exercise are still critical to taking off excess weight and keeping it off for good, but it does appear that green tea can be an effective tool in fighting the battle of the bulge.
Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea) and chai. Visit goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.
One product that seems to have much promise in helping people to lose weight is green tea. In some studies, green tea has been shown to help regulate insulin and lower cholesterol and triglycerides. In addition, it is believed that green tea speeds up the metabolism, so that we burn fat faster, and can even turn off the receptors that make us want to eat.
In addition, green tea, unlike many other weight loss aids is very healthy overall. Green tea is a potent source of anti-oxidants, which help us stay healthy and disease free by fighting free radicals. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are a by-product of our digestive processes. Left unchecked, they damage our cells and DNA, eventually leading to disease.
However, green tea and other foods with anti-oxidants keep free radicals at bay, preventing aging and disease. For example, diets rich in green tea and other anti-oxidants have been linked to a reduction in the risk of heart disease and cancer. So, green tea is a weight loss supplement that you can feel good about, because it can improve your overall health while it helps you shed the pounds.
Most of us are aware of the problems that many other weight loss supplements can cause. Ephedra, for example, has proven to be an effective way to speed up the metabolism, but can have very dangerous side effects. In fact, it has even been linked to heart attacks and death in some users.
But, just how does green tea work? There are several components in green tea that seem to work together to provide the health and weight loss benefits that green tea’s so famous for. Researchers have pinpointed three components in green tea that seem to have an effect on weight loss.
Caffeine
Green tea has lower caffeine content than coffee or black tea, but it does contain caffeine. Interestingly enough, however, green tea’s caffeine does not seem to have the negative side effects found in other products containing caffeine. Green tea doesn’t cause jitters or speed up the heart rate the way that other caffeinated beverages can. However, the caffeine in green tea does appear to speed up the metabolism.
Many of us take our caffeine intake for granted, but caffeine has been shown to aid in weight loss. Many studies have shown that people on a low calorie diet who consume caffeine daily lose more weight overall than those who are on a low calorie diet alone.
Catechins
Catechins are the anti-oxidants in green tea. Catechins are polyphenolic antioxidant plant metabolites, specifically flavonoids called flavan-3-ols. They are found in many plants, including the cocoa plant and the coffee plant, but the best source of catechins is the Camellia sinensis (tea) plant.
The reason that green tea is considered a better source of catechins than black tea is because of the difference in processing. Black tea is fermented, which changes the catechins. Green tea, however, is unfermented, leaving the catechins in their natural state.
Because tea catechins are some of the most powerful anti-oxidants around, they are some of the most effective at preventing disease. This is why diets rich in tea are thought to prevent many diseases, including heart disease and cancer.
In terms of weight loss, catechins are believed to suppress lipid (fat) absorption from the diet. This is important because it helps reduce cholesterol, but it is also thought to prevent the accumulation of body fat.
Theanine
Theanine is the main amino acid in green tea. Theanine may be important to weight loss because of its ability to induce relaxation and the release of dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical produced by the brain that helps in providing a feeling of well being in the body.
Theanine also seems to minimize the effects of caffeine, which is why the caffeine in green tea doesn’t seem to cause jitters and an increased heart rate the way that caffeine in other beverages can. So, while theanine may not actively cause weight loss, it can be effective in creating a feeling of calm in those who ingest it. This power may help those who overeat as a result of stress to curb this tendency.
It is certain that more studies are needed on how green tea helps with weight loss. One interesting study on the subject, by the Shizuoka University in Japan, evaluated all three of these green tea components individually, as well as in combination, to try and determine just what components are most important.
This study concluded that the most important component of green tea for weight loss is caffeine. Caffeine is responsible for speeding up the metabolism and creating thermogenesis, which burns fat. However, the study also showed that catechins do seem to have an anti-obesity effect on their own, helping the body to eliminate dietary fat rather than absorbing it.
In short, green tea seems to be the near perfect combination for helping lose weight and improve health at the same time. Diet and exercise are still critical to taking off excess weight and keeping it off for good, but it does appear that green tea can be an effective tool in fighting the battle of the bulge.
Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company. Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme care. At their website, you can learn more about their current tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea, white tea, black tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea) and chai. Visit goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.
Monday, February 19, 2007
Green Tea Weight Loss Supplemen
Most weight loss experts agree that weight loss supplements can significantly help you in your battle for curves and muscles. Of the 3 commonly used weight loss supplements in the market these days, green tea weight loss supplement seems the most promising. The other two are protein and ephedra.
It has been discovered that some properties found in green tea makes it a great organic alternative to weight loss supplements.
The use of green tea extract in weigh loss supplements was spurred by the recently concluded study by American and Swiss scientists. The study found that green tea has a lot of antioxidants that can cause an increase in energy expenditure of the body.
Green tea weight loss supplement contain both caffeine and the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). When these 2 substances in green tea react to each other, metabolism rates increase along with the body’s 24-hour energy expenditure. Green tea’s EGCG also triggers the release of the hormone noradrenaline, an appetite-suppressant.
Green tea weight loss supplement can boost the body’s metabolic rates, thereby increasing the rate by which fat and calories are burned. It can also stimulate the body into burning fats faster, leading to more fats being turned into energy. According to a study, people who take in green tea weight loss supplement lose about two-and-a-half pounds a month.
Green tea weight loss supplements come in standardized tablets or capsule forms. For best results, select a green tea weight loss supplement that contains 90 milligrams of EGCG and 50 milligrams of caffeine. It is usually taken 3 times a day before meals.
Although green tea weight loss supplement has no harmful side-effects, you should consult your doctor before taking it.
A lot of people eat foods that are generally deficient in the vitamins and minerals. Visit Nutritional Supplements Center to learn why it is vital that you take nutritional health supplements. You will also discover best nutritional supplements.
It has been discovered that some properties found in green tea makes it a great organic alternative to weight loss supplements.
The use of green tea extract in weigh loss supplements was spurred by the recently concluded study by American and Swiss scientists. The study found that green tea has a lot of antioxidants that can cause an increase in energy expenditure of the body.
Green tea weight loss supplement contain both caffeine and the chemical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). When these 2 substances in green tea react to each other, metabolism rates increase along with the body’s 24-hour energy expenditure. Green tea’s EGCG also triggers the release of the hormone noradrenaline, an appetite-suppressant.
Green tea weight loss supplement can boost the body’s metabolic rates, thereby increasing the rate by which fat and calories are burned. It can also stimulate the body into burning fats faster, leading to more fats being turned into energy. According to a study, people who take in green tea weight loss supplement lose about two-and-a-half pounds a month.
Green tea weight loss supplements come in standardized tablets or capsule forms. For best results, select a green tea weight loss supplement that contains 90 milligrams of EGCG and 50 milligrams of caffeine. It is usually taken 3 times a day before meals.
Although green tea weight loss supplement has no harmful side-effects, you should consult your doctor before taking it.
A lot of people eat foods that are generally deficient in the vitamins and minerals. Visit Nutritional Supplements Center to learn why it is vital that you take nutritional health supplements. You will also discover best nutritional supplements.
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